Projects Belly Tank Build, NZ.

Bull Mastiff/ American Bull Terrier and loves riding in my RPU. JW

 

I needed a change in what i was doing on this so i put the body back on to start doing the final clearance fit for the top section to firewall and to look at the fitment of the fairing piece. I was going to make the fairing go around and over the roll cage to give an enclosed drivers compartment but doing all that is above my skill level and i'm at the stage i just want to get it done so i will use the fairing how it is and adjust it to fit, screw it on and teach myself some fiber glassing..... looking forward to that. JW

 

At the front of the fairing i will make an air scoop that will direct air in front of the radiator and also for the carb that will just protrude though the body. Another reason for doing this now is that when i blow it apart and paint the frame i will be putting most of it back together for good so i don't want to create a mess of it. JW

 

I got the dirt track windshield a while back, it will be curved around and be framed in and meet on the sides of the roll cage where i will extend the body up from where i cut it away to clear the roll cage. JW

 

Looking good. Any estimate on first run?

 

Maybe the end of the year with the engine as is and if all works ok will fill it with new parts if the budget allows. I have an sprint event for Motor cycles that i can try it out at on a 1.6 mile straight road with open curves at both ends that will be closed. I know the organizer and said i can do a show run, it's a good road where the big Bikes have exceeded 200 mph and is only 45 minutes from home. JW

 

Cut a number of reliefs in the faring to allow it to conform to the body, the fairing didn't mate up due to the body being an extra 20'' but it now fits nice and snug with only little pressure needed.... i realize this is where the fun starts. JW

 

The carb just sat a bit higher than the body so a relief was cut, This was always going to happen as i want a positive passage for the air intake. More soon.... I'm on a roll.....I think. JW

 

Made this Carb. hat with a screen in it. I will try and find some brass for the screen but this will do for now and some shorter screws. Needed to move the filter center bolt back 3/4'' for clearance of the screen frame. JW

 

And in place. There will be a passage in the fairing that will direct air flow to it from the front of the fairing, this will also have a larger opening that will direct air down in front of the radiator. The reason the carb. is offset to the right and not centered is to allow access to #2 and 3 spark plugs. JW

 

Finishing the fire wall to body clearance so i can fit the sealing flange. Next will be work one the rear top of the body once the front part is secure. Having fun!! JW

 

Can anyone in NZ help out JW @26 T Ford RPU , he is looking to borrow some 650 x 16 rear tires short term , they just need to hold air, not for the road . He said even 700 might do .I didn’t have any.

 

Thanks again, Bryan. These are only to get it into a show in October, the proper tires will be on it when it's raced. JW

 

Cool for both of you, would be great if we could get a TROG event here.... say Himatangi Beach and even a long course like Pendine, good Belly Tank fodder but the ''red tape brigade'' would have other ideas. JW

 

It's a bit of a haul across the Tasman, but if you are itching to beach race the tank then this event runs each year:

Rattletrap 2024 | Barrington Coast

Mebbe make it a joint trip with a run on the salt?

2024 - Dry Lakes Racers Australia (dlra.org.au)

If the stars align, perhaps even a nostalgia event lie Day of the Drags at WSID.

Cheers,
Harv

 

That would be cool but i have two paved roads to run it on, one is a four mile road run by Land Speed NZ (6 hour drive) and the other is a motor cycle sprint meeting that i know the organizer of and will let me run it ( the big bikes are 200 mph +) and only 40 minutes away and one at the bottom of the South Island is Oreti Beach where Burt Munro raced his famous Indian. JW

 

You can do all of that in NZ, but you won't get any decent Aussie beer!

 

I think that is called irony.

 

Bring back Muriwai Beach !. ninety mile beach! - we have so many gorgeous white sand beach venues! The Greta and Chloe brigade will accuse us of killing dolphins! I would reluctantly change my roadster name from 'Tinker' to 'Dolphin' to cut through the green tape.

 

Hi, Ken. Yes Muriwai Beach is one i forgot, they would all be worthy of a good ol road trip. Muriwai would be good as you can come as it's close for you and we can promise no Dolphins will be harmed. JW

 

Didn't get much done this weekend with a swap meet and Locomotive oiling to attend to, but still managed to fit two mounts to steady the top of the fire wall, the bolts for the mounts will also serve as a mounting point for an air duct to direct air to the front of the radiator. Also tacked on a thingy for a seat support to stop the top of the seat collapsing backward, there will also be a longer one from below the harness to the lower seat back to support the seat.
OK, i started to fit the sealing flange around the fire wall, this is something i was a bit nervous about but it all went well so its the lower section to do now. JW

 

Since the top of the of the fire wall is removable i did the upper flange in three pieces. The reason i made removable was i was going to modify the fairing to go over roll cage and be fully enclosed but that has since changed but will still be handy to get to the top harness points. JW

 

And with the third piece tacked on, need to give it a slight tidy up and some more welding.
Next bit coming up will be to screw the fairing on and start doing the air ducting for cooling and the carb. Also fit a reinforcing ally tube hoop in the front of the rear body, this when glassed in will make it sturdy when fitting and removing it. JW

 

Cut more ''holes'' in the upper body section, this will allow me to glass the fairing inside a out which will make the whole piece more ridged when taking it on and off. Will start making templates for air ducting from the front of the fairing to direct air in front of the radiator and one to the carb. JW

 

With the high lift top steering arm having a lot of sideways leverage and was flexing the backing plate flange on the spindle so i made up a 5/16 ring for some reinforcement, it seems to have made some affect, will see when it's back on the ground. Thanks to works young machinist, Ricky for the lath work. JW

 

Cut the front section off the body and bolted the fixed center piece in place. Now i can work getting the gaps even, they are close but needed a little sanding. The front section will hinge up and forward for in-out flow. The body next to the roll cage will be extended up to just below the helmet rail, this will help with esthetics and will flow with the windshield. JW

 

A look at the inside with the top on. JW

 

Really miss Tman on here, he commented etc. JW

 

Hey JW. I've been watching off and on the whole way. For some reason the pictures aren't showing up for me on several threads. Your perseverance has kept hope in me that I can someday finish my roadster.

 

Thanks and when you are doing it yourself you need to find/make time and the odd deadline can give you a boost. This is the case with the Tank as i have a major show i have been asked to display it at in seven weeks. I also set goals to get my T RPU done, but circumstances always seem to change along the way. Keep at it as i'm trying to do. JW